The Girls by Lori Lansens

"I have never looked into my sister's eyes."

This book tells the story of Rose and Ruby Darlen, craniopagus conjoined twins. Written as Rose's autobiography, her sister Ruby also contributes chapters from her perspective,showing that they might be joined at the head but the two girls are as different as any sisters can be.

What I love about this novel is the unique angle, making you consider life from a vastly different point of view, Rose and Ruby have aspirations, their own careers and loves and as a novel, this book is packed with an exciting narrative as well as being endlessly fascinating due to the nature of the girls telling the story.

Neither sister is negative or at any point moans about the position they are in, which is why this is such a heartwarming and positive read. It brilliantly puts into perspective the often trivial problems we concern ourselves with in day to day life and is one of those wonderful stories that will always be etched on my brain.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

This is one of the first books I remember reading completely in one long sitting (the very first was Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl), I was on a 10 hour coach journey from Melbourne to Sydney on my gap year and didn't sleep a wink, as I was so engrossed from the first page.

Not previously knowing much about the world of a Geisha, I was captivated by the old world traditions, the brutal way girls were trained up, the silks of the Kimono's, it was just an amazing glimpse into such a different place. In Sayuri, Arthur Golden created a character who although thrown into essentially a world of selling herself for the pleasure of men, she remains strong and dignified and takes the reader on a personal, evocative journey. Read immediately!

P.S. My tip would be to avoid the film at all costs, it strips all the magic from the narrative and the wonderful writing means you can conjure up far more beautiful settings in your head than the ones presented to you in the film.